Monday, November 10, 2008

I have just discovered Marc Riboud. Albeit a little late but then that's the story of my life! Tasveer is having an exhibition of his work starting this friday going on till the 7th of December. I must see it.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Today as I drove home I watched a little boy trying to cross the street. He was running with his school bag on his back and his lunch basket in his hand. He must have been 8 or 9, but he was alone crossing a busy street at three in the afternoon.

The world is unfair to children. They are born with little feet, little hands, and imaginative minds. With this they need to contend with a big world, big people, and practicality.

When parents walk, children must run to keep up. When parents take a trip, children must sit strapped in a car, or an airplane for hours. When teachers bellow children must listen.When adults need to sit down children must stand up. When drivers need to move children must get out of the way. When adults speak children must understand. When adults are late, children need to hurry. When parents are busy, children need to play on their own.When adults are talking, children must not but in.When adults are working, children must be quiet. When adults say, children must obey.

Later more children negotiated with this big world. One boy in his school uniform asked me to stop so he could go across and fetch his friend who was also asking me to stop so he could cross the road. I stopped, worrying about the cars behind me. They got across.

It's not fair. It's not fair that a child must live in an adult's world. Not at all.

Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.- Fredrick Buechner